U.S. Attorney General Holder Set to Visit Mexico This Week

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder will travel to Mexico to discuss with that country’s top law enforcement officials ways to “deepen” bilateral cooperation on judicial matters, the Justice Department announced Monday.

As part of his one-day visit on Tuesday, Holder will meet with Mexican Attorney General Jesus Murillo Karam and will participate in meetings with other judicial officials from the United States and Mexico, the department said in a statement.

All the meetings will be private and their objective is to allow officials to analyze ways to deepen U.S.-Mexican cooperation on judicial and police matters, Holder’s office said.

The AG’s visit will come on the eve of President Barack Obama’s trip to Mexico and Costa Rica, due to take place on May 2-4, a visit that will be dominated by the issue of public safety in the region.

Last week, Mexican Interior Secretary Miguel Angel Osorio Chong was in Washington to sign an agreement to launch a new phase of the Merida Initiative to fight drug trafficking.

According to authorities of both countries, Obama’s visit will serve to revitalize the bilateral agenda and to direct more resources toward the Merida Initiative.